Prostitution refers to the engagement of a transaction in sexual activities with someone for a payment. The actual act of sex is not illegal, what is criminalized is everything around it – owning a house and selling sex (Alati, 2017). In this paper, I will argue that prostitution laws place prostitutes at a greater risk of harm by forcing them onto the streets and disallowing them to protect themselves. First, I will discuss the key aspects of the decisions elevated in the Bedford case while, providing an outcome of the decision made, and how the government responded to these arguments. Second, I will illustrate how the media depicts the criminalization of prostitution through (insert media coverage source and name). Third, I will state my …show more content…
First, in a recent article an executive director of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights emphasizes the issue of the unsafe environment of sex workers and their violation of human rights. The health and safety of all people is crucial in Canada, the Bedford case placed a huge discrepancy with the government not giving these rights to sex workers. When Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act became the new revised law, it was seen by many as flawed. It does not give sex workers the rights they deserve and does not comply with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Prasad, 2017). If anything, this new law creates a greater barrier for sex workers to sell sex safely. Furthermore, by restricting individuals from purchasing sex, it pushes them to the subsurface rather than having them access safety mechanisms. The Social Science evidence from Canada and throughout the world, emphasize the idea that the sex industry is being pushed into the shadows due to the criminalization of the profession (Prasad, 2017). Second, another recent article by Rick Vanderlinde claims that the oldest profession – prostitution, is being hidden behind closed doors more than ever. Although this is true, the misconception is that “the public thinks it’s illegal but it’s not” (Prasad, 2017). Moreover, there is obviously a confusion with society thinking it is illegal, but they cannot be blamed because it is not being addressed properly. This article depicts Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, as an unchanged law, rather, it proves the issue of the sex industry going into the subsurface. The internet is a platform where you can find sex workers advertising their services, which is legal because it immunizes sex workers to advertise their services,
Kelly’s article has raised valid points regarding safety to the prostitute within a brothel, but there is so much evidence that proves the ill effects of this experiment in other countries that the evidence cannot be ignored. Although, parts of the sex trade industry may initially see positive results for some of the workers, the majority would end up worse off than before. Due to the illegal nature of this industry and the control exuded by the pimp, the physical and psychological risk to the prostitute, the highly addictive nature of sex, and the organized crime behind the scenes orchestrating and controlling ever aspect of the industry, it is clear that decriminalizing prostitution would result in significant negative affects on society, prostitutes and those with sexual addictions.
Patty Kelly was an assistant professor of anthropology at Washington State University and she had just completed a study of the place of commercial sex in the modern world when she wrote the essay “Enough Already, It’s Time We Decriminalize Prostitution”. The title itself gives the reader a clear direction in which the author wants to sway the reader. While the essay was written as a response to a political scandal involving New York Senator Elliot Spitzer, Kelly sparks discussion on why prostitution should be legalized. The author backs her stance by providing the result of research that she herself has conducted, along with research conducted by the government of Sweden. Kelly spent a year working as an anthropologist at the Galactic Zone,
== == Throughout the UK and internationally, the issue of prostitution is seen as an ever-increasing problem. For the purpose of this assignment I will concentrate on the issue of prostitution within the United Kingdom. There has been a marked rise in the incidence of street prostitution since the 1980s and a growth in the proportion of intravenous drug users involved in street prostitution. In Glasgow, police estimate that ar... ...
Human trafficking is “Modern Day Slavery,” in Canada today. From April 2007 to December 2013, there were 50 cases where human traffickers were found guilty, and from those cases, 97 people were convicted of human trafficking offenses. The Ontario Women’s Justice Network (OWJN) defines human trafficking as the recruitment and control of individuals that are exploited and taken advantage of against their will, (OWJN, p. 1- 2). There are various forms of human trafficking in Canada and the victims are vulnerable in all classes, genders, ages, and industries, but research needs to improve to validate concrete statistics. However, there are many Canadian sex workers that do object to the regulation of their chosen profession of prostitution
Prostitution is one of the oldest professions in history. In this modern age there are several classes of prostitutes with several methods of finding work, but they still face violence in their business. Though prostitutes are frowned upon by society and treated as criminals, under the law they should not be scrutinized by the morals of the people. Prostitutes frequently feel they have no options due to their illegal work, should they be assaulted they cannot turn to the police since many officers refuse to aid them as criminals. Prostitution should be regulated to fight human trafficking, increase quality of life for the women working in the industry, and generate taxes for the government while reducing the cost of dealing with prostitution.
In 2007, three prostitutes, Terri-Jean Bedford, Amy Lebovitch, and Valerie Scott came to the Canadian government to challenge the current prostitution laws after pending charges were laid against them for illegal acts prostitution (Chez Stella, 2013). The Bedford Case has opened up a debate on whether prostitution should be decriminalized in Canada. Through my research, I offer a comparative analysis of four approaches to prostitution, which aid in illustrating the effects that decriminalization would have on prostitutes, and women as a whole. The four states that I have compared are Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Australia. These countries each hold different views and policies on prostitution. Canada is currently criminalized, the Netherlands is a state in which prostitution is legalized, Sweden advocates abolitionism, and in Australia, prostitution is decriminalized. Through careful analysis I have determined the effectiveness of each of the policies, and which system I believe would be best for Canada’s future. Based on this investigation, I advocate that Canada ought to adapt a similar approach to Australia, decriminalizing prostitution as a means for social, economic, and legal stability for women. It is through decriminalization that prostitutes will have the opportunity to be actively involved in the community, and no longer marginalized members of society.
...Boris B. Gorzalka. "Attitudes, Beliefs, And Knowledge Of Prostitution And The Law In Canada." Canadian Journal Of Criminology & Criminal Justice 54.2 (2012): 229-244.
Adjunct Professor Michael Lee taught my first English course. Most of the semester we worked on a multi-modal essay. This assignment improved my research and writing skills. I learned to research more deeply of an issue and found factual reasons why I have the opinion about the issue. My topic was about legalizing prostitution. I had two reasons for believing it should be legalized but I had not researched to find facts to support my opinion. Also, after researching I found other benefits and also found information about why it should not be legal. It was a challenge to write in support of what I don’t believe. Not only did it improve my research, but also my written thoughts flowed in order and ideas were organized. I learned to prove
Frances, S. (2012). Sex work and the law: A critical analysis of four policy approaches to adult prostitution . Thinking about justice: a book of readings (pp. 190-220). Halifax, N.S.: Fernwood Pub..
“There is no difference in work in which a women sells her hands, such as a typist, and a work in which a women sells her vagina, as in sex work.” Claims author Lacy Sloan. In today’s society, many people believe that prostitution is an immoral act. It is the world’s oldest profession and because it has been long condemned, sex workers are stigmatized from mainstream society (ProQuest Staff). However, the act of purchasing sex between consenting adults should not be prohibited by the government, but regulated for society's overall best interests. Prostitution is illegal and as a consequence prostitutes are often victims of violence and sexual assault; therefore, prostitution should be legalized and regulated to ensure the safety of sex workers.
Criminalization of Prostitution Solves Nothing When we hear the term “legal”, we automatically think of law and how it may favor or oppose an act; but why do we even have “law” when “law” doesn’t protect all of the rights of all people- yes all- as it claims. Law is created to maintain some form of social control for the protection of a society’s people (e.g., Vago, 2012); but how are people protected when the law seems up against their will? I’m not talking about the intently harmful criminal activities that people voluntarily choose to engage in; but the legal issues encompassing efforts to engage in sexual misconduct for survival purposes- specifically prostitution.
Prostitution has been as issue in many societies around the world for almost all of recorded history. There has been evidence of brothels and prostitution dating far back into human history. Many different societies have different views, ideals, and reservation about the matter. Some cultures around the world view it as a necessary evil for people who need to support themselves and their families. Others view it as morally evil and socially destructive; helping to rot our society from the inside out. Even still there are cultures who don’t view it as evil at all and even a normal part of life. A person’s view on the act is formed largely based on the culture they are living in. Even sub cultures inside of larger one can have different view on the matter, such as religious groups that denounce it, to some groups in the same culture that say it is okay. Even the gauge of how industrialized a country can determine how that culture views prostitution, with many third world countries being more lenient on the matter, and many first world countries being much more strict on the matter, such as the some of the countries in Europe and also the United States.
Sanders, Teela, Maggie O’Neil, and Jane Pitcher. Prostitution: Sex Work, Policy, and Politics. London: SAGE, 2009. eBook Collection. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.
Prostitution is one of the most controversial social issues in today’s day and age, since it is unclear what is the correct stance on it. Ever since the instantiation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, there has been constant fall out surrounding the legitimacy of prostitution within Canada (law source). Prostitution is the act of engaging in sexual services with another person in exchange for money; it is illegal in some countries while others regulate it. In Canada the purchasing of sex is illegal however the selling of it is not, thereby giving it a paralegal status (law source). This was done not for the protection of the people but because prostitution was seen as a societal nuisance. Even though there have been numerous arguments
Sex work is an extremely controversial profession that has an exceptionally judgmental stigma connected with it. In Canada, however, some aspects of sex work are legal while others are not. Though, it is legal to sell your body it is illegal to run a bawdy, which is any place occupied for the purpose of protection more than once (Bruckert, 2014) Similarly, being able to smoke cigarettes under 19, but not being able to purchase them until the age of 19. Thus, these fine laws of sex work are outlined in the Charter of Right and Freedoms sections 210-213. Since sex work is a highly stigmatized job, many people are unaware of the occurrences these people face. On first thought, one may assume a prostitute is a drug abusing, disease ridden female who lives on the streets. We rarely assume that they would look like a “normal” person walking on the street. However, in fact just like any profession, some prostitutes may be drug addicts and have contracted a sexual transmitted disease but this could also describe the CEO of a large company. Unfortunately, due to the nature of their work, sex workers are at high risks of experiencing predatory violence. It is also important to note the difference between aggressors and clients. Client, are people who intent to pay for the services offered by the sex worker, if an dispute arises situational violence may occur. However, an aggressor is a person who intends on causing harm to a sex worker (Bruckert & Chabot, 2010). Nonetheless, a sex workers job requires them to be discrete which is a way protecting themselves against the law. Thus, many sex workers quickly get in in cars with strangers, go into strange houses and associate with the wrong crowd for t...